Those So Called Bundles of Joy
by alwaysthinkingofyou
Summary: Oneshot. September 13, 1987: The Cullens visit Forks in search for a new home. But what happens when a woman goes into labor at a grocery store and Carlisle's forced to deliver her baby? PreTwilight.


**I own nothing.**

**My second Twilight one-shot! Whoo-hoo! Whatever.**

**What:** Those So Called Bundles of Joy  
**Who:** The Cullen family, Chief Swan, Renée Swan  
**When:** AU Pre-Twilight, September 13, 1987  
**Where:** Forks, Washington  
**Why:** This idea's been on my mind for a while now. Figured I'd give it a shot. And I know, there's that small problem about the vampires being recognized, but for the sake of this story, let's pretend that's not an issue. (;

--

Edward's Point of View

It was times like these that I wondered if Elizabeth Masen was alive somewhere in my adoptive mother.

"Edward Anthony!" Esme hissed. "Is that any way to speak to your father?"

I sighed, guilt running through me. "I am sorry, Carlisle," I apologized. "I just don't see the point of living in this little town. Yes, I am aware that the sun is so rarely seen, it becomes a public event when it does appear, but what about the _wolves_?" I lowered my voice at the last part, so the people walking around us wouldn't hear.

Rosalie seemed to be ignoring everyone, looking around the wet streets with fascination. "We could be almost _normal_," she stressed, mostly to herself. Her thoughts were full of hope. _We could go out in the day time without glittering like the monster freaks that we are… _She sighed happily. "I'm all for it," she told Carlisle.

Emmett grinned. "What's the matter, little bro? You scared? Aw, who's afraid of the big bad wolves? Don't worry Ed, I'll protect you," he teased. He started chuckling loudly.

I rolled my eyes. "Control your laughter before you attract attention," I snapped in a hushed voice. "And don't call me Ed."

"Oh, my God!" _This can _not _be happening…_

We all turned our heads toward the windows of the grocery store were standing in front of. There was a woman clutching her swollen belly in surprise, her face anguished. _He's not due for another two weeks!_

"Charlie," she squeaked, "the baby's coming!" She took one hand off her belly and gripped the arm of the man next to her.

"What?" He almost dropped all the groceries he was holding. He set them on the floor and scrambled to tend to his wife. "But it's not time…," he muttered, panicked.

The woman shook her head. "Apparently it is," she croaked. "I need to lie down," she wailed.

The man named Charlie looked around the store frantically. "We need a doctor!" he called out.

Carlisle was in there before realizing he had moved. "I'm a doctor," he announced. The people crowding around the distraught couple stepped back to make way for my father.

"Oh boy…," Rosalie grumbled as we all watched him from outside. None of us made an effort to move.

"Okay, Miss…" he trailed off.

"Renée," the woman muttered after a moment. _He's so handsome…_

Carlisle nodded. "Renée, I'm going to need you to calm yourself. It's all going to be fine," he assured her. _Edward, ask Alice if this woman can make it the hospital._

I turned to my pixie-like sister. "Carlisle wants to know if the woman can make it to the hospital," I whispered hurriedly to her, but she was already shaking her head before I was finished.

"If you'd been paying attention instead of grouching unnecessarily, you would've seen my vision. I saw him delivering the baby on his own." She shrugged.

"Maybe we should help…." Esme stepped forward. I shook my head at her.

"The blood," I reminded her.

She stepped back, her thoughts nostalgic. _So many human memories forgotten, yet that stressful feeling of being in labor will forever be engrained into my mind._ She sighed.

Rosalie's thoughts were on the birth as well. _I've never seen a woman in labor before. But I'm sure all the pain and agony would be worth it if you get a beautiful little baby… _She frowned.

It always pained me to listen to my mother and sister's silent suffering. It made me feel even more of an intruder with my talent than usual. I turned my attention back to the window, trying to give them as much privacy as I possibly could.

Back inside, Carlisle—realizing that he was going to have to deliver the baby in the store on his own—was helping the woman settle down on some towels the cashier had graciously let them use.

_Delivering babies is not exactly my expertise…, _he fretted.

"You're going to do fine," I said in a semi-low voice. With our enhanced vampire-hearing, I was positive he could hear me. "Alice saw it."

Inside, the woman named Renée was struggling to calm herself down after having her first contraction.

"Our baby boy is coming!" Charlie mumbled eagerly in his wife's ear.

She gave him a wavering smile. "That's if he doesn't kill me first," she joked, her voice quivering. Tears were starting to brim in her eyes.

Charlie kissed her temple reassuringly. "You're gonna make it, honey. There's no doubt in my mind you can do this."

--

**Eleven hours later**

"I CAN'T DO THIS!!!" Renée screeched. "This boy is too big! I'm sweating more than my uncle Alan after his weekly three-hour trip to the gym, and if I have to breathe to the beat of 'We Will Rock You' one more time, I swear to God—"

"Renée, push!" Carlisle interrupted.

Renée groaned loudly, but complied. Her face was flushed tomato red, though that might have been due to all the screaming and yelling she did between contractions.

By now my family had decided to stand inside the entrance to the store to get a better view, after Alice made sure that no accidents would happen. We all watched in silence as the exhausted woman used the rest of her energy and pushed with all her might. Tears were streaming down her red cheeks. Her face was contorted in pure pain.

"C'mon big guy, please get out of me," she begged softly to herself.

"I see a head," Carlisle murmured.

Renée pushed harder.

"Honey," Charlie said beside her, his face scrunched up. "I can't feel my hand." He stared at his right hand, which was currently being squeezed mercilessly by his wife.

Renée ignored him.

"I see a shoulder," Carlisle told her. "You're almost there."

Renée let out a cry of pain and tried to push harder. _I need drugs! God, why didn't I listen to my mother? She always said, "If you decide to do a natural birth, it might as well be your death wish." Damn, if this little boy isn't out of me in the next three seconds…_

Her thoughts were cut off an ear-splitting scream.

"Hold your breath," Alice whispered. We all complied.

Suddenly, the sound of a baby crying filled the otherwise silent store. I turned my attention to my father, who was holding the newborn baby cautiously. _The miracle of childbirth…_

I stared at the baby in wonder. She was small; nothing like the giant baby her mother was picturing in her mind. She had a button nose and full pink lips; she had a little bunch of brown hair on her head; her cheeks were plump and rosy; her skin was flushed, but I could tell it was pale. I caught a glimpse of her eyes before she closed them. They were a deep chocolate brown.

I don't think I'd seen anything more beautiful in my life.

Carlisle wrapped the newborn baby in a towel. "Here's your baby girl," he told Renée and Charlie. "Born at three o' three a.m."

The couple gaped.

"N-not a b-boy?" Charlie stuttered, confused. _But Dr. Reynolds said…_

Renée laughed tiredly. _Again, we should've listened to my mother._

Charlie couldn't stop the giant smile that formed on his lips as he stared at his new baby girl in wonder. Carlisle handed the baby to him gingerly.

"I guess the name Jacob is out," Renée said, gently stroking her new daughter's cheek.

Charlie shrugged. "I guess we could give it to Billy and Sarah. Something tells me they'll have better luck with it." He beamed at the baby in his arms.

"So what do we name her?" Renée wondered.

"How about Isabella?"

Renée and Charlie turned their heads simultaneously toward Rosalie.

My family and I stared at her in awe.

Rosalie fought the urge to roll her eyes. _It's not like I'll be using the name anytime soon._

"Isabella," Renée mused. "I like it. Do you, Charlie?"

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl," Charlie agreed. He and his wife stared adoringly at the baby. "Little Isabella…"

"It's a little long, though," Renée said. "We could give her a nickname. How about Izzy?"

Charlie shook his head. "I never had much patience with unisex names. Izzy reminds me of Isadore. How about Bella?"

Renée smiled. "It's cute." She inched her face closer to the baby. "Hi there, little Bella," she cooed. "You are so adorable, do you know that? I just went through eleven hours of labor, young lady. So you better not give me any trouble, do you understand?" She tried to give her a disapproving look, but couldn't quite manage it. _My baby girl…. My baby girl, Bella._

"Umph." The little baby named Bella looked away from her mother. She looked at the crowd that was staring at her with plastered smiles. Her wandering eyes found mine. She seemed to trap me in her gaze, for I could not look away from her beautiful brown eyes. For a baby, they were impossibly deep and expressive. It almost felt as if my dead heart would start beating again. She only looked at me for a moment before turning back to her parents.

"She is so precious," Esme whispered. She stared at Bella and exhaled wistfully. She turned to look at me and gave me a rueful smile.

I returned it tentatively. "Let's wait for Carlisle outside," I suggested. I glanced at Alice who was leaning against Jasper and watching Bella with a dreamy smile.

"Can you imagine all the cute little baby clothes they're going to buy her? Oh, and all the toys! The little tea sets and Barbie dolls. Ugh, we should get a baby." She pouted.

None of us could tell if she was joking or not.

Esme laughed. "C'mon guys." She waved us out of the store with both hands. _If only it were that easy._

"You know," Alice continued, "I could've told them they were having a girl about three hours ago."

"That baby was so cute!" Emmett laughed. "But man, eleven hours! Did you see that lady? I thought she was going to snap!"

"I thought she did snap," Jasper teased. "Did you not hear those screeches of hers in between contractions? God, could she complain!" He pressed his right hand to his forehead playfully.

"Until you experience that kind of pain, I don't want to hear you boys making fun of that woman," Esme scolded. "In a way, it's a little worse than changing into a vampire."

Emmett snorted. "I doubt _that._"

Esme ignored him.

"Well," I said, "that was enough excitement for today. As soon as Carlisle is finished, I believe it'd be best to get out of this town."

Rosalie scoffed. "Is it wolves, again? Or are you scared of the little baby? I saw the look she gave you." She smirked.

"Look?" Emmett raised an eyebrow. "First it's teenaged girls, now little babies are after you too?" He laughed. "Sucks for you."

"Are you forgetting the freshmen who fell for you last year?" I reminded him. "The one who left little notes for you on our doorstep and roses in your locker?"

Emmett scowled. "Jenny wasn't—"

I interjected with a loud laugh. "You remembered her name? That's cute. Well, at least she's much better than your last choice." I glanced at Rosalie innocently.

"Edward Anthony," Esme chastised. "Is that any way to speak to brother?"

I sighed.

It was times like these that I wondered if Elizabeth Masen was alive somewhere in adoptive mother.

--

**I had fun writing this. Sorry if I got anything wrong about the birth. In my defense, I'm a stupid fifteen year old girl, not a doctor. Review you liked it, please! (;**


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